Betrayals and Kittypets
by EmberskyofShadowclan
Summary: There are many families within Thunderclan. Many are happy families, with kits, and parents, and siblings. Isn't it funny how just one cat, a kittypet, even, can ruin relationships between parent, kits, and mates?
1. Prologue

Betrayals and Kittypets

Prologue

There are many families within Thunderclan. Many are happy families, with kits, and parents, and siblings. Isn't it funny how just one cat, a kittypet, even, can ruin relationships between parent, kits, and mates?

A family such as this is Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Whitepaw. They sleep peacefully now, with the mates curled up in the warrior's den, and their daughter asleep in the apprentice's den. All of that will soon change because of one visitor- and this adorable little family may neverbe the same again.


	2. Chapter 1

Cloudtail's POV

Cloudtail was woken by a voice. "Alright, I want Thornclaw to take a hunting patrol out. Choose your cats, and return by sunhigh."

Brambleclaw, the Thunderclan deputy, was sending out patrols, _again_. Cloudtail drew his tail around himself and hoped he didn't have to go. The sun was barely up, and he had been on a patrol last night. Sometimes he wondered if Brambleclaw was trying to drive Thunderclan to exhaustion.

As Thornclaw poked his head into the warrior's den, Cloudtail closed his eyes. Maybe if he pretended to be asleep, Thornclaw would take pity on him and chose others. But of course, there was no such luck.

"Cloudtail, would you come? I already have Squirrelflight and Spiderleg!"

Cloudtail raised his head and sighed sleepily. "Fine. Tell the other's I'm coming," he muttered. Cloudtail stood up, shaking bits of moss off his fluffy pelt. He padded out to see most of Thunderclan already up, including his mate, Brightheart. Cats were clustered around Brambleclaw, who was still assigning poor cats to patrols.

Squirrelflight, Spiderleg, and Thornclaw were waiting at the camp entrance. When they saw him, Thornclaw waved his tail in greeting, and Squirrelflight called, "Come _on_, you lazy furball! We could have loads of fresh-kill by now!"

Cloudtail felt a flash of indignation. He was older than she was, for Starclan's sake! What right did Squrrelflight have to call him lazy? If she didn't have patrol, the she-cat would probably sleep the entire day away. But he had no time to retort, for as he opened his mouth, Thornclaw ushered the cats out of camp, saying, "We must be back by sunhigh. If we want to feed the clan, there's no time to waste bickering.

Cloudtail shot Squirrelflight a sour look, but followed the group out. His irritation faded as time went on, replaced with pride as he caught three, four, then five pieces of prey. Thornclaw had decided to hunt near twolegplace, claiming that mice and birds would be plentiful because it was rarely hunted near.

The sun was high in the sky, and the cats were getting ready to head back to camp, when the pitiful mews of hungry kits penetrated the air. Cloudtail spun around, trying to locate the noise, but Spiderleg, who was peeking behind a group of bushes, cried, "I see them! Three kits! Come quick!" His meows brought the whole patrol running, and they had just reached the cluster of bushes where the kits sat, when a pretty, cream-colored she-cat jumped in front of them.

"Wait! Stop! You don't understand!"

Cloudtail looked at her dubiously. "Really!" she added quickly. "Those are my kits! Please don't hurt them. I took them away from my home because the nofurs would have taken them away!"

"Nofurs?" Spiderleg asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"It's what some cats call twolegs," whispered Cloudtail.

"What are you doing here, in Thunderclan territory, then?" Squirrelflight's fur was spiked with suspicion.

"Well, I was over there, across the stream," the she-cat meowed, flicking her tail towards the Windclan border. "And a group of strange-smelling cats chased us off. When we got to the river, they seemed reluctant to cross. I assumed it would be safer here." She looked trustfully at them with big, pleading blue eyes.

"Of course they stopped chasing you! You're in Thunderclan's territory now, and the scrawny Windclan cats were too cowardly to face us! And what in Starclan's name makes you think you are any safer here! Why, we ought to chase you and your kittypet kits out right now before…" Spiderleg was renting on and on about how kittypets had no place in the territory, and how she had better bring her kits away _right now_, and how it was clearly breaking the warrior code (the she-cat looked confused) each heartbeat she stayed.

Cloudtail sighed in exasperation. "Spiderleg?"

"Mm hm?" The tom stopped his useless rant for a moment.

"Kindly shut up."

Spiderleg put on an affronted air. "Bu-but she's trespassing! She can't very well stay!"

Now, Squirrelflight, who had sat back to watch the toms quarrel, pushed her way between them. Turning to Spiderleg, she told him, "Well, it's also against the warrior code to turn away innocent kits in need, so I suggest you help me carry them to camp. Cloudtail can help the queen." Then, she turned to the cream-colored she-cat and politely asked for her name.

The she-cat, who had watched the argument take place with wide, scared eyes, stuttered out a response. "D-D-Daisy. And thank you for standing up for me."

"Thank me when Firestar decides what to do with you, not before," meowed Squirrelflight gruffly. With that, the conversation was apparently over, as Squirrelflight turned away and picked up a kit by its scruff. Thornclaw and Spiderleg did the same, leaving Cloudtail to assist Daisy.

The she-cat seemed very weak. She was leaning on Cloudtail the entire trek back to camp, and she didn't even ask where the strange cats were taking her or her kits. Cloudtail, who was very social, hated the silence, but whenever he tried to ask her something, she would respond in terse, one-word answers.

After what seemed like a lifetime to chatter-deprived Cloudtail, the patrol plus Daisy and her three kits reached the camp. Squirrelflight rushed off to find Firestar to tell him about the new arrivals, and the others placed the kits next to Daisy in the nursery. Following Thornclaw's instructions, Cloudtail brought Daisy a bird from the fresh-kill pile. She accepted it with a gracious thank-you, and he left her to eat in peace.

In the camp, he noticed Firestar and Squirrelflight emerging from Firestar's den. Firestar bounded to the highledge, and called a meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!"

Cats slipped out of their dens, murmuring curiously about the cause of the unexpected meeting. Cloudtail joined with Squirrelflight, Spiderleg, and Thornclaw, and raised his tail importantly. After all, he _had _been on the patrol to catch a kittypet! She and her kits would make fine members of the clan, if they were allowed to stay.

Interrupting Cloudtail's musings, Firestar announced, "It seems that our hunting patrol found something other than food; they brought back a stray kittypet and her three healthy kits."

Shocked glances were exchanged within the crowd. No kittypet, loner, or rouge had bothered them for quite some time. Firestar continued on, oblivious to the surprise of the gathered cats. "The question is: Should she be allowed to stay if she wishes?" A few cats then voiced their opinions.

"Of course! We need new apprentices, and if we leave her helpless in the wild, we are really no better than Shadowclan!"

"But she's a _kittypet!_ Kittypets will never learn the ways of the wild! I say we drive them out now, before they can learn our secrets!"

Squirrelflight placed her forepaws on a rock to raise herself above the others. "Suspicious much, Mousefur? If kittypets are as soft as you say, then they are no threat, even if they do learn our secrets. Besides, have you forgotten that our great leader, Firestar, was born a kittypet? That means I'm half kittypet too! Do you want to drive us out while you're at it?"

Cloudtail wholeheartedly agreed with Squirrelflight. "And Mousefur, I'm part kittypet too! You can't agree that all kittypets are soft and useless!

The brown elder ducked her head, and croaked, "I meant no disrespect to our leader, or warriors. I was only voicing my opinion."

Firestar seemed almost amused by the argument below him. He meowed, "Of course, Mousefur. Thunderclan is a free clan, and we are all allowed to have a say in things. But I think this argument is resolved, as I have reached a decision. This she-cat will be allowed to stay with us, so long as she agrees to learn and follow the warrior code and train to be a warrior."

A slender head poked out of the nursery entrance. Daisy meowed, "Excuse me? I don't want to be trouble for the clan. I will go and raise my kits elsewhere if it is easier."

"Of course not. You may stay as long as you like. Forever, even. You said your name was Daisy?"

Daisy nodded meekly, looking scared at being addressed by a clan leader. "You really don't mind if I stay?" she asked quietly.

"Not at all. You may rest and recover for a day, and tomorrow we will begin your training." Then Firestar nodded at Cloudtail. "Cloudtail will be responsible for instructing you in the ways of the clan."

For a moment, Cloudtail felt irritated. Firestar hadn't asked him if he wanted to teach Daisy, and he hadn't done anything wrong. This would mean less time spent with his mate and kit, Brightheart and Whitepaw. Speaking of them, Cloudtail wanted to know what they thought of all this.

**AN: Hey guys! If you've read this, then thanks! And I know there are some non-cannon things in here, like that the clan cats had already met Daisy on the journey. I know about that, you don't need to tell me, and I'm not fixing it. (I'm too lazy.) Please review! Thanks!**

**-Embersky**


	3. Chapter 2

**I'm back! And the only reason this is up is thanks to my wonderful reviewers!**

**PikaBolt101: Thanks!**

**Snowfeather4876: Thank you so much! And Blue Shadows is an amazing story!**

Brightheart's POV

Brightheart's day was unlucky from the start. First, she was dragged out of her nest before the sun was even up, to go on the dawn patrol. By the time she returned to camp, it was time for a hunting patrol, which her mate, Cloudtail, was on. That meant she got no time with her mate yet, and it was almost sunhigh.

Things just went down from there. She went to grab some prey from the fresh-kill pile, only to see that the only thing left from this morning was a scrawny vole; her least favorite prey. So instead, she simply lounged by the warrior's den. Since all her closest friends were out training apprentices, and she only liked to hunt with Cloudtail, there was no one to talk to except the elders, but the best conversation she would get from them would be endless, droning stories about their kithood days. That meant Brightheart was stuck sitting uselessly, watching as various cats came and went, to hunt, play, or train.

Brightheart felt as old as an elder by the time Cloudtail's hunting patrol returned. Little did she know that soon she would wish that this moment had never happened. For the hunting patrol was not alone. Along with them were four cats: a cream-colored she-cat and her three kittens.

Sympathy was the first thought that entered Brightheart's mind; sympathy for the stick-thin mewling kits, and for their exhausted mother. Brightheart watched curiously from the sides as they brought the she-cat to lie in the nursery. Squirrelflight, a fiery ginger warrior, darted out a moment later and disappeared into Firestar's den.

_Probably to tell him about the new arrival, _Brightheart thought. _I wonder what will happen to her. We haven't had a visitor in moons!_

Brightheart waited as Firestar leapt onto the highledge. He summoned the cats with a call, and waited until the cats had gathered to start speaking. "It seems that our hunting patrol found something other than food; they brought back a stray kittypet and her three healthy kits. The question is: should she be allowed to stay if she wishes?"

This was met with various responses, but in Brightheart's opinion, the choice was clear. Why should they turn away three future apprentices? As long as they were loyal and hardworking.

Apparently not all cats shared her views, because now Mousefur, the cranky elder, was speaking. "…I say we drive them out now, before they can learn our secrets!"

Brightheart sighed, bored. She knew how this was going to end. Firestar was born a kittypet, and he wouldn't treat any cat less because of its birth. But it would be rude to just leave the meeting. She drew her paws in around her and tucked in her tail. If she was going to be here for a while, she might as well get comfortable.

Suddenly and unfamiliar voice sounded, and Brightheart jerked her head up. Cats were still around Firestar and the highledge, shouting contradicting points. All heads turned towards the nursery entrance. The cream she-cat was looking into the arguing mob fearfully. "Excuse me? I don't want to be trouble for the clan. I will go and raise my kits elsewhere if it is easier," she mewed in a trembling voice.

Firestar must have assured her that it was fine, that it would cause no trouble for her to stay, because the she-cat nodded and slipped back inside to tend to her kits.

With the image of the beautiful cream-colored she-cat in mind, Brightheart bared her teeth in a snarl showing sudden anger. She narrowed her remaining eye in outrage, and scratched long gouges in the dirt.

Suddenly aware that the cats nearest to her were staring, Brightheart realized what she had done. She stared at the lines in the earth, wondering why in Starclan she was possesses to make them. She lifted a ginger paw, and unsheathed the claws, watching them extend. She was fully able to control her own movements, and there was no trace of the sudden rage that had overcome her. So _why_ were the scratches still there, proof that she had succumbed to an uncontrollable anger. There was still that one question flickering like a candle in her mind: why?

Firestar's closing remark interrupted her thoughts. _He mentioned Cloudtail!_ She thought, realizing that her mate's name had been included. Wondering what he had to do with any of this, Brightheart scoured the crowd for Cloudtail's fluffy white pelt. She found it only as he found her, coming up on her blind side by accident. When he touched her flank with his tail, she jumped a foxlength into the air and whipped around.

"Wha-? Oh, it's just you, Cloudtail. Great Starclan, you startled me! You know not to sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," Cloudtail apologized, looking sheepish. "I just wanted to tell you that I won't have any time to spend with you the next moon or so. Firestar 'asked' me to take care of Daisy. More like demanded, really."

Brightheart cocked her head in confusion, before realizing that "Daisy" must be the name of the kittypet. The confusion gave way to disappointment. She had been looking forward to a nice, relaxing walk or hunt with Cloudtail in the approaching days. "Oh," she responded, trying to hide the way her face fell. "That's alright, I guess. Just be sure to spend some time with me after the gathering."

Cloudtail purred and rubbed against her. "I'm glad you're okay with it. You know you mean more to me than the whole of Starclan, and I want you to be happy."

Brightheart twitched her whiskers in amusement, her unhappiness almost forgotten in her mate's sweetness. She still wasn't sure she was completely fine with the amount of time Cloudtail would be busy, taking care of _that_ kittypet. (Maybe there were still remnants of Brightheart's previous anger, considering the fact that she even refused to say _its_ name.) Brightheart nodded at Cloudtail one more time before pulling away. Cloudtail waved his tail in a goodbye, padding to the nursery to begin his duties concerning Daisy.

Even as she thought about it, Daisy appeared with her kits in tow, led by Cloudtail towards the warrior's den. Brightheart watched them, surprised. Wasn't Daisy staying in the nursery to care for her kits? Brightheart hoped fervently that Daisy wouldn't be staying in the warrior's den; the only open nest was next to Brightheart herself, and she didn't want that stench keeping her awake.

But it appeared Cloudtail was only giving Daisy the grand tour. He gestured at each den, bringing the family inside each den, to the dirtplace, and ending at the fresh-kill pile. He smiled gently as the kits squeaked in their unique little voices, and even laughed along when Daisy said something funny. Even as he saw Brightheart watching them, and waved his tail in greeting, his face was far too happy and bright to satisfy Brightheart.

Cloudtail had told her she meant more to him than Starclan, but how could he really mean that when he was having such a good time with a stranger. She wasn't just a stranger though. She was a kittypet, and a _downright despicable cat_.

Wait. Hold on for a heartbeat. Where had that come from? Despicable? Daisy had done absolutely nothing wrong! _(Except take up all Cloudtail's attention.)_ No, she hadn't. Cloudtail was forced to show her around. This happy façade was just that- a show. Cloudtail was making the best of a less-than-perfect situation. That's all. Brightheart had nothing to worry about. At all. Right…?

The she-cat in question realized she had just been arguing with herself over the most mousebrained topic there was. _Of course_ she had nothing to worry about. End of discussion.

But as she curled up in her nest that night (She had stayed up late. It was almost moonhigh.), Brightheart found she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, an image appeared out of the dark: an image of Daisy's perfectly groomed pelt, of her tinkling laughter, and most of all, _both_ of her beautiful ice-blue eyes. Along with that, she saw her mate her (dis)loyal mate, laughing along with her, his face the picture of mirth and joy.

Brightheart tossed and turned in her moss that night, and later, other warriors would report being woken up by sleepy murmurs of, "He's Mine…" and "No worry… Just a stupid little kittypet…"

**So! I hope you liked it! This was a fast update, but I probably won't get around to another one until at least Thursday or Friday. Future chapters will probably be longer, too! Please review… You can say you liked it, you hated it, or you like nachos. Honestly, I don't care. Just review. Oh, and one more thing. Do you guys want this to be alternating perspectives, Cloudtail and Brightheart, or do you want it to have other cats too, like Daisy or Whitewing? Tell me in your reviews!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the wait! Weekdays are always hectic, and I barely had time to type this.**

**Leafie: Thank you! And yes, I know that Brightheart probably wouldn't act like this, but there were so many ways to make her, and this personality flowed the easiest, so oh well! Also, thanks for giving me your preference on the POVs. This chapter is from Whitepaw's.**

**Fastblaze789: Thanks! Me too!**

**Frozenstream of Oakclan: Thanks!**

Whitepaw's POV

When she got up in the morning, Whitepaw found no indication of the unending whirlwind she would be thrown into. It was so boringly normal: her mentor, Brackenfur, woke her up early for battle training, and they stayed in the training hollow, practicing her stalking, until long after sunhigh. It was when they returned to camp that Whitepaw's perfect little world was pitched into madness.

The first odd thing Whitepaw noticed as she padded through the thorn barrier was the smell. In the air was the milky scent of new kits, but even stronger was the sharp scent of an intruder. Brackenfur stopped short in front of her, and, too distracted by the strange scents, she crashed right into him. She tried to mumble an apology, but he shushed her, told her to stay where she was, and hurried off to Firestar's den to find out what was going on.

Whitepaw cautiously made her way into the clearing; Brackenfur had said to stay put, but he surely meant just to stay in camp, and not to wander around the territory unprotected with a possibly dangerous visitor. She looked around to search for answers. Brackenfur had gone to see Firestar, and he would probably inform her later, but Whitepaw was impatient, and wanted answers _now_.

First, Whitepaw stuck her head into the elder's den, as it was possible one of them would know why there was the pungent odor of an intruder piercing the fresh forest air. But all she saw was Longtail sleeping peacefully, and Mousefur glaring down at her nest, murmuring incoherent phrases. Whitepaw thought she caught the words, "Warrior code… abomination… young cats these days… worthless kittypet…"

Whitepaw was quick to scurry out of there, not wishing to be the new subject of Mousefur's anger. If she stayed, the whole clan would most likely be forced to listen to the elder's complaints about nosy, inconsiderate apprentices.

So Whitepaw tried the warrior's den next. This time, she had a bit more luck. Many warriors were in their nests, not sleeping, but gossiping. Whitepaw never understood why warriors were so obsessed with gossip. Sure, apprentices liked to know what was going on in the clan, but warriors seemed to need to know every bit of information about every single insignificant cat they had ever met. But today was different. These cats she saw seemed like they had an obligation to let their neighbors know what was going on. They seemed to be gossiping with a _purpose._

If that wasn't weird enough, Whitepaw couldn't find her father, Cloudtail, anywhere. Usually, his fluffy white pelt (which she had inherited) was easy to spot anywhere, even at a crowded gathering. Now, Whitepaw searched with wide eyes to catch a glimpse of it. However, it was all in vain. Cloudtail was nowhere to be found, which was strange because it felt like the entire clan was clustered in the warrior's den sharing news. Besides, Cloudtail was always around when she got back from training, ready to share prey with her and her mother, Brightheart.

Perhaps even stranger than Cloudtail's noticed absence was the aforementioned she-cat, Brightheart. Of course, she _was_ in the den. Whitepaw would find it just _too_ weird if both of her parents were mysteriously gone. But Brightheart might as well have been gone, for all her reaction to the chaos surrounding her. Whitepaw felt a jolt of worry. Her normally cheerful mother had her paws- one ginger, one white- tucked beneath her. Both eyes were closed, and a ginger-and-white striped tail lay limply on the dusty ground.

There were other signs, too. As Whitepaw peered at her mother, she noticed the half-snarl twisting her mouth, and the unsheathed claws digging mercilessly into the ground. They were signs of barely-concealed rage, signs that only one who had known Brightheart her whole life, Whitepaw included, would be able to regognize. With a pang of fear- fear for the clan, fear for her friends, and for her family- Whitepaw wondered what could get her normally calm mother so worked up.

Softly skirting the cats in her way, Whitepaw walked over to her mother and nudged her with her nose. "Brightheart? Mother? Are you alright? What's going on? Why is everyone talking? What's the scent in the camp? Where's Cloudtail? Why-" Brightheart raised her spotted head to silence Whitepaw. With a flash of alarm, Whitepaw noticed the anger and sadness in her mother's eyes.

"Calm down, Whitepaw. I can't understand you when you speak so fast. But all you need to know it that there's a kittpet that a patrol found in the territory. She was brought here, with her three kits. They'll be staying for a while," Brightheart meowed gently.

"But you don't want them to stay," Whitepaw observed, noting the way her mother's claws dug into the ground at the mention of the kittypet.

Brightheart gazed up at her daughter, impressed. "Since when did you become so observant?"

Whitpaw lifted her head and tail proudly, and replied, "Since Brackenfur showed me how to think like my enemy in a fight."

Brightheart purred amusedly. But then her expression switched back to sorrowful. "Well, you're right. I think. I don't want her to stay- except I do; it'd be good for the clan to have new fighters. But still, I don't really want her to stay, but I'm not sure why…" With that, Brightheart sunk her head back into the scruffy moss and slowly closed her eyes.

Whitepaw was confused. Like Brightheart pointed out, the clan needed new apprentices. So _why_ did Brightheart look so depressed?

Just then, she heard the other apprentice, Birchpaw, call her name. "Whitepaw? Where are you? Do you want to share some prey?"

"Sure! I'm coming!" Whitepaw shouted back. With a final glance at her mother, Whitepaw exited the den, and resolved find out what was up with Brightheart, _right after_ she ate with Birchpaw.

The glossy brown tom was waiting for her by the apprentice's den, with a squirrel and a thrush. He waved her over with his tail, and she padded to him. Gesturing towards the two pieces of prey, he meowed graciously, "Pick the one you want. I like either."

After a moment of thought, Whitepaw purred and chose the squirrel. Then she took a bite out of it and swallowed, but didn't take another. There was something she needed to discuss with Birchpaw before she got absorbed in her meal. Though he was younger than her, Birchpaw was very empathetic. Also, his mentor, Ashfur, had stepped on a thorn and it had gotten infected, basically rendering Ashfur temporarily useless. That meant that Birchpaw had no one to train him, and therefore was in camp all day. Whitepaw was certain he knew what happened. He probably could also figure out what was upsetting Brightheart. If Whitepaw asked, she could probably kill two mice with one swipe.

"So," Whitepaw began cautiously, uncertain of how Birchpaw would react to her inquiry, "What exactly happened today, that's got the whole camp so riled up?"

Birchpaw blinked in surprise. "You mean you haven't heard yet? With the way everyone's buzzing, I was sure that every single cat in the forest would have heard by now!"

Eyes narrowed impatiently, Whitepaw snapped, "Yes, but no one has time to spare to tell a measly little apprentice what's going on."

"Calm down, I'm sorry, okay? I just thought you would have known already. But a hunting patrol found this kittypet called Daisy with her kits and brought them back to camp. Firestar called a meeting, and there was this _huge_ argument about whether Daisy and her kits should be allowed to stay. At one point, Daisy said she could go away, but Firestar said that it was fine that she could stay. Mousefur and Spiderleg didn't really support that, but the decision had been made. Daisy is in the nursery now, and everyone is _so_ excited! Aren't you, Whitepaw? When the kits get older, we'll have denmates!"

Whitepaw snorted at the eagerness of the apprentice. "So that's why Mousefur was looking like someone put mouse bile in her prey! But no, I doubt we'll have denmates. For one thing, Daisy may decide to leave before her kits become apprentices. For another, we'll probably be warriors before they reach six moons, anyway. Unless, of course, you do something else mouse-brained, like take all of the prey out of the camp and dump it in the river!"

Birchpaw ducked his head in embarrassment and meowed, "Hey! That was a one-time thing! And it's not my fault! Squirrelflight told me that the prey was infected with greencough, and had to be purified by Starclan in the stream! How was I supposed to know that she was joking?"

Rolling her eyes, Whitepaw responded, "Well, have you ever heard of _prey_ having greencough? Maggots, maybe, but _greencough? _Seriously?"

"Anyway," she added, before Birchpaw could defend himself, "On a more serious topic, do you know why Brightheart looks sad? She said pretty much the same thing as you, just with less detail."

Birchpaw shrugged. "How should I know? You're older, and you spend more time with the warriors. I would think you could figure out why she's unhappy, 'cause I have no clue."

Sighing in exasperation, Whitepaw groaned, "But I don't know what _happened_ today. Did you see _anything_ that could make her act like that? Please, try to think. Was there anything unusual involving her and Daisy? Anything?" Whitepaw was growing desperate, and she was sure Birchpaw could tell by the repetition of her words.

"Well… I don't think so… Brightheart didn't seem to have much of an opinion during the debate… And I don't know her as well as you do, so 'unusual' could be anything, but let me think… After, Cloudtail was assigned to care for Daisy and get her settled in, but I don't see how that could upset her…"

"Hang on- you said Cloudtail has to take care of Daisy? Like, bring her fresh-kill and stay with her all day to keep her comfortable?" At Birchpaw's affirmative nod, Whitepaw gasped triumphantly. "That's it! I bet she's just feeling lonely because her mate will be busy for a long time, and she won't get to spend much time for him for a while!"

Near the beginning of Whitepaw's explanation, Birchpaw looked rather doubtful, but by the end, his expression had changed to knowing. "Of course! I forgot that they were mates! There are so many different warriors in the clan, it's hard to remember who's mates with who…"

Whitepaw growled indignantly. "Hey! I get that it's hard to remember some things, but Cloudtail and Brightheart happen to be my parents! I would hope you could remember who your denmate's parents are! How would you like it if I forgot that Dustpelt and Ferncloud are mates?"

"Oops… Yeah… Sorry... I sort of forgot they were your parents too… Huh," mewed Birchpaw sheepishly.

Whitepaw rolled her eyes, bored. "Whatever. I think I'm going to check in the nursery for Cloudtail. Bye!" The last word she tossed over her shoulder, already heading over to the nursery.

As she neared the bramble wall shielding the nursery, Whitepaw pricked her ears to the sound of laughter. "Hahaha… Cloudtail, you're so funny! What else happened in the fox's den?" a distinctly feminine voice could be heard saying. Whitepaw peeked her head into the nursery entrance curiously, and was greeted by the sight of a pretty cream-colored, blue-eyed she-cat (_That must be the kittypet!_). Sitting next to her was unmistakably Cloudtail, who had an uncomfortably amused expression on his face, like he'd rather _not _tell Daisy about the mystery incident in the fox den.

Whitepaw shrugged and slipped out of the nursery before either cat could spot her. Her question had been answered, at least. It appeared that Cloudtail _was_ helping Daisy in the nursery, and he _was _going to be busy for a while helping Daisy get comfortable. Whitepaw hoped it wouldn't take too long; she would like her father to be able to escort her (and not some kittypet) to her second gathering.

However long it turned out to be, Cloudtail was absolutely going to be spending lots of extra time with Daisy, and that must be what had Brightheart so depressed. Whitepaw really hoped it was, at any paw.

**A/N: Here it is! The longest chapter yet! Again, sorry about the long wait- though people would have to actually be **_**waiting**_** for this chapter to have a long wait, and I doubt any reader actually cares about this story's update times… Though hopefully that'll change as I get more readers. Anyway, IMPORTANT QUESTION: what should Daisy's personality be like? Next chapter will be in her POV, but should she be the "Bad guy" and actually be mean, or should she be a real, nice cat with real feelings? So please review!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! No new reviews? Sigh… Well, since no one reviewed *****looks pointedly at readers***** I can't decide how to make Daisy's personality. So I think I will make her bearably nice. Also, sorry for the super long wait. These days have been full and busy. Anyway…**

**Edit: Yay! Thank you SO SO SO much, KatieK101, for reviewing! ****Still looking pointedly at readers*******

**KatieK101: Thanks X10000000 for reviewing! Also, thanks for the input on Daisy! That's always helpful!**

Daisy's POV

The cries of her kittens, growing more desperate as time wore on, tore a hole in Daisy's heart.

As they padded wearily through the gorse, the thin figures stumbled more and more often. Wind whistled around Daisy, creeping under her pelt and chilling her to the bone. But for now, a little thing like cold couldn't stop her. It was more important to get her kits shelter and food. For a moment, she almost wished she had never left she barn, but she dismissed that thought almost instantly. _I took them away so Nofurs wouldn't steal them. Going back now would be just mousebrained. _

She nudged her kits onward, through the spiky brambles that seemed to tear off half her pelt. The smallest one, a gray-and-white she-kit, meowed, "Where are we going, mama? What happened to the barn?"

Daisy turned her head slightly and nudged her kit. "Don't you worry about that. We've just gone on a little trip, and you can sleep soon. In some nice warm feathers. How does that sound?"

"Good, mama," the kit yawned.

Despite her promises, Daisy was growing more and more uncertain as the sun crept higher and higher into the sky, and the flat terrain seemed to go on forever. But still, Daisy pushed her kits ahead of her, only daring to stop once to drink from a trickling stream they passed.

Daisy's suppressed exhaustion was beginning to show in her steadily drooping tail when voices sounded suddenly from behind her.

"And this, Weaselpaw, is the mark of the Thunderclan border. Take a deep breath. You can smell the stink, can't you? Remember it. That way, if there are any trespassers, you can tell if they're Thunderclan or not."

Daisy didn't understand all of what the mystery cat was saying (_Thunderclan?_), but she certainly knew what _trespassers_ meant, and from the hostile tone of the cat's voice, they weren't very welcome either. "Come now, kits," she whispered, "Let's play hide and seek, alright, you guys try to hide, and I'll try to find you. It'll be fun!"

Ignoring the strange request from their mother, all three kits flopped down to the ground, panting. Daisy realized it was unfair of her to try and get them to hide when they had already been walking for most of the day. She still had to try and get them to safety before the strange cats that spoke of trespassers scented them.

Daisy grabbed the cream-colored scruff of her biggest kit, a tom who shared her fur and eye color. She dragged him as gently as she could over to a patch of especially thick brambles. They were barely halfway there when her plan failed.

"Hey, you there! What do you think you're doing? This is Windclan territory!" Then in a smaller voice, the cat added, "Now see, Weaselpaw? These are not Thunderclan cats. From their scent, they're probably from around twolegplace."

Wasting no time, Daisy placed her kit back to rest with his littermates. Though her plan had failed, she always had a backup. She had hoped it wouldn't come to begging, but to save her kits…

"Oh, please don't hurt us! I didn't know we were intruding! My poor kits… They have nowhere to stay…" She widened her eyes prettily, and flattened one ear, trying to look helpless.

But the cat just flicked his tail, unimpressed. "Weaselpaw, why don't you give this she-cat a little taste of what we do to unwanted visitors here in Windclan. You know what to do."

The smaller of the two, a lithe ginger tom, launched himself at Daisy. _I can't fight him. Not with my kits. The only option left is to run_. She sprang to her paws, narrowly avoiding the cat's gleaming claws. Her kits, roused by the unexpected noise, blinked blearily up at her. She instantly picked up the she-kit by her scruff, and ordered the toms to grab he tail in their teeth. They obeyed immediately, sensing the urgency with which she spoke.

Daisy fled as fast as she could with the weight of three kits, running the opposite direction from the two fierce wild-cats. Luckily, the young tom seemed reluctant to seriously harm her, and only grazed her ear when she dared slow. Soon, they reached a small river, deeper and wider than the steam they had encountered earlier. On the other side, trees clustered, offering tantalizing scents of prey. Panicked, she told her kits to get on her back, and when they did, she waded cautiously to the other side. In the middle, the current began to drag at her, but she swam through it quickly, reaching the other side just as the two cats chasing her got to the river.

She herded her kits into the surprisingly thick undergrowth, expecting them to cross the river to attack her. Instead, her two pursuers stood at the edge, glaring at her. "And don't come back!" the younger of the two shouted triumphantly.

Before Daisy had time to wonder what he meant, the cats whirled around and raced away, deeper into the moor. She panted, only now realizing how much the chase had tired her. She curled up protectively around her already sleeping kits, feeling sleep drag her into its warm embrace.

When she next opened her eyes, it was morning again, though the sun was shining as brightly as ever. Daisy blinked rapidly to give her eyes time to adjust. When she could see clearly without flashes, she poked each of her kits once with her tail. They each raised their head and looked around for a moment as though they had forgotten where they were. When three gazes settled on her Daisy said cheerfully, "Time to wake up now! You've rested, so we can continue to try and find a place to live!"

Though her words were bright and happy, Daisy wasn't looking forward to another long day of pointless hiking, after which they would probably still be homeless. Her paws throbbed from walking, and even a good night's sleep couldn't completely erase yesterday's exhaustion.

Her kits didn't seem to notice that, though. They each stretched luxuriously, their thin back arching as they dug their tiny claws into the damp earth. The smaller tom, his thick fur dappled gray, turned to look at Daisy. "Mama, where are we going today? Will more mean cats chase us away?"

Daisy stifled a sigh as she responded. "I hope not, but if they do, you be strong for me and care for your littermates, okay?"

The kit nodded his head solemnly, evidently preparing to do whatever he could to protect his siblings. Daisy hoped so, at least. That kind of loyalty was very important in the harsh wilderness.

The squeaks of the remaining kits reminded Daisy of what she had to do. She wearily pulled herself to her paws, and the kits copied her quickly. She had them form a line behind her: with the gray tom in front, and the cream-colored tom last, their sister safely in the middle. Daisy hoped that this would keep them from getting lost in the endless trees.

When her kits were ready, Daisy started through the forest, going at a slow but steady pace as to not tire her kits out too much. Twice they found a den suitable for living, but the first one, after a closer inspection, was too open. If Daisy had to leave her kits to hunt, it would be no trouble for a hungry fox to snatch them up. The second den was very promising, but when they got close enough, they noticed that the den reeked of badger. Daisy hurried her kits away from that den, resolving to find another that didn't host a large, dangerous animal.

Yet it was soon almost sunhigh, and all three kits were slowing down. "Here, kits. You can sleep for a moment under this bush here, then we can continue on later," Daisy meowed.

Relieved at the prospect of rest, the kits stumbled gratefully under the bush. Daisy sat down close by, folding her paws and tail underneath her. She closed her eyes, relishing the break.

Daisy was woken by the sound of other cats approaching. Glancing at the bush, she confirmed that her kits were still safe, then stood up, her sleek pelt matted from sleep. The sharp crack of a stick breaking alerted Daisy to the closeness of the strange cats.

She could see four bobbing heads above the layer of ferns, and she scurried behind a nearby tree to conceal herself. Soon, a young, long-legged black tom skirted the undergrowth and neared the bush where her kits lay. She was about to reveal herself and beg him to spare her kits, but just then he raised his head and cried, "I see them! Three kits! Come quick!"

"Foxdung!" Daisy swore under her breath. Hopefully they would leave her kits alone. But it was too late. The other members of the group, a small dark ginger she-cat, a light ginger tom, and a fluffy white tom, came running as they heard the call.

As all four cats crowded around the bush, Daisy knew she had only one other option. She sprang out from behind the tree and pushed herself in front of the strange cats. "Wait! Stop! You don't understand!" she cried. When the white cat looked at her suspiciously, she added, "Really! Those are my kits! Please don't hurt them. I took them away from my home because the nofurs would have taken them away!" Daisy hoped her hurried explanation would be enough to convince them not to hurt her.

The slim black tom squinted, confused. "Nofurs?"

The white tom leaded over and whispered something into the other's ear. The black tom nodded in satisfaction.

The ginger she-cat rolled her eyes at the toms. She glared at Daisy and asked, "What are you doing here. In Thunderclan territory, then?"

There was that word again. _Thunderclan_. Probably some weird group these cats lived in. Daisy's fur ruffled at the she-cat's haughty tone. "Well, I was over there, across the stream, and a group of strange smelling cats chased us off." Daisy neglected to mention that that "group" consisted of only two cats, one of which wasn't much older than a kitten. "When we got to the river, they seemed reluctant to cross. I assumed it would be safer here."

The black tom sniffed distrustfully and growled. "Of course they stopped chasing you! You're in Thunderclan's territory now, and the scrawny Windclan cats were too cowardly to face us!" He didn't seem to notice Daisy's blank expression as he mentioned Thunderclan and Windclan, as he continued speaking so fast that the words were beginning to sound jumbled. Once, Daisy thought she caught the words, "Warrior code," and spared a second to wonder what those could mean.

Finally, the white tom laid his tail on the black tom's shoulders and said, "Spiderleg?"

The tom named Spiderleg stopped mid-rant to gaze at him. "Mm hm?"

_Not very articulate, are we?_ Daisy thought, amused. The white tom grinned at Spiderleg and answered.

"Kindly shut up."

Daisy almost purred at Spiderleg's comically stricken expression. "B-But she's trespassing! She can't very well stay!" At that, Daisy's purr died in her throat.

Suddenly the ginger she-cat was in between the two toms. She had been so quiet during the argument; Daisy had forgotten that she was even there. "Well it's also against the warrior code to turn away kits in need, so I suggest you help me carry them to camp. Cloudtail can help the queen."

Then, the fourth member of the patrol, the ginger tom who had faded into the background as soon as they met Daisy, turned to the bush where the three kits slept. As Daisy watched him, ready to attack if he was too rough with them, the ginger she-cat cleared he throat at Daisy. Her green eyes were gentle as she asked Daisy's name.

"D-Daisy," she responded, then hated herself for stuttering. Feeling the need to get on this cat's good side, she added, "And thank you for standing up for me."

"Thank me when Firestar decides what to do with you, not before," snapped the she-cat, her softness suddenly gone. Daisy nodded meekly as the three cats joined the ginger tom at the bush. Each one grabbed one of her kits and began hauling them to the camp, wherever that was. Only the white tom was left without a kit to carry, so he walked over to Daisy.

The tiredness, which she had ignored during the time when her kits' safety could have been in danger, overtook her in a sudden burst. Daisy swayed on her paws, kept only upright by the white flank pressed against her. She turned gratefully to the white tom, but could think of no words to express her gratitude. They stayed like that for the endless walk, standing upright only when the group crossed through a thorn barrier, and the scents of many cats hit Daisy's nose. Occasionally, the white tom had tried to strike up conversation, but her worn-out mind held no patience for talking, and she ended up snapping at him whenever he spoke.

The white tom, who the others had addressed as "Cloudtail," escorted her to a den made of brambles. She ducked inside, noticing the faint milky scents, and concluded that it must be the nursery. The other cats deposited her kits at her belly, where they finally succumbed to long-deserved rest. However, she found she couldn't follow their example, as her head was still swimming with what had happened. One question was prominent in her thoughts: _They brought me here, but what happens now? _Numbly, Daisy saw Cloudtail come and drop a bird near her, and she thanked him, her mind elsewhere.

Daisy bent down and licked each of her kits on the head. She had been so certain she was about to lose them to some greedy wild-cats, but now they were safe at her side. She decided it was time for names; she had been putting them off until they found a safe home, but now seemed as good a time as any. _Let's see: I'll do the tom first. The big cream one, who looks just like me._

Daisy tried to think of memories that could be used to find a name. The only one she could think of was when she had brought her kits out of the barn for the first time, and she had found him standing guard next to a pile of dark blue berries. _Juniper_, she remembered. She had asked him what he was doing, and in his squeaky kit-voice, he had replied, "Saving these berries from the cats who want to steal them!" She had then responded, in an amused voice, by asking who would ever want to steal them. He had jumped on her then, with a shout of "Everyone!"

As she reflected on the memory, Daisy found herself drawn to the most obvious name she could find. "You," she meowed, placing her tail on the kit's head, "Will be named Berry."

Berry made a small noise in response, burrowing closer to her. _Perfect… But there are still the two others…._

The small she-kit squirmed when her brother moved. Daisy purred again, savoring the brief moment of happiness with her kits. _What to name her…_ The she-kit mewled, and raised her head, opening her eyes and staring at Daisy. _That feels so familiar… Where have I seen someone do that before?_

Suddenly Daisy remembered: it was a Greenleaf day, a few seasons before she hade even met Smoky, the father of her kits. She was rather young then, all on her own, looking for a safe, sheltered home. She had stumbled upon a small, wooden nofur house, and decided to try her luck there. She hopped onto the overgrown windowsill and rubbed against the window, purring loudly. The young nofur must have heard her, because it soon flung open the door and raced outside. When it spotted her, she was cowering inside the flowers, spooked by the noise. It ducked down, coming level with her. It blinked its large, hazel eyes at her and raised the corners of its pink mouth. The next day, she ran away, seeing the barn in the distance and hoping to find permanent shelter. But she would never forget the color of the friendly nofur's curious eyes. They were hazel… _Hazel…_

She touched her tailtip to the second kit's head and announced, "You will be named Hazel."

There was only one kit left. He was a dark, fluffy gray, with a long tail and pointed muzzle. This one would be easy. She had pondered over her kits' names since they were born, but this last tom was the only one she ever had any ideas for. _He looks almost like a mouse…_

"You will be named Mouse."

All three kits, Berry, Hazel, and Mouse, sighed simultaneously, each relaxing as though in a pleasant dream. Daisy thought that they seemed satisfied; the thought pleased her immensely.

Through the painstaking task of naming her kits, a disruptive shouting began outside the peaceful walls of the nursery. Daisy pricked her ears to catch the words, "…I say we drive them out now, before they can learn our secrets!"

With sickening realization, Daisy knew they were talking about her. Her and her helpless kits. But she had to wait and watch… Maybe some cat- like the white tom, or ginger she-cat- would defend her. Not that she wanted to stay, but better to leave of her own accord, her kits safe beside her, than be chased out again, fearing for her life.

Lost in her own world of thoughts, Daisy didn't notice that other cats were speaking, overriding the cruel statement made before. She was only brought from her musings when a powerful voice announced, "This she-cat will be allowed to stay with us, so long as she agrees to learn and follow the warrior code and train to be a warrior."

That meant she could stay… But what about the other voices, the ones speaking against her? If she left now, they might not fight her later. So she peeked out the nursery entrance, greeted by the sight of many different cats crowded around a huge rock, which was so tall that in enveloped the nearest rows of cats in shadow. "Excuse me? I don't want to be trouble for the clan. I will go and raise my kits elsewhere if it is easier," she meowed, trying to keep her voice from trembling in the presence of so many possibly hostile cats.

"Of course not. You may stay as long as you like. Forever, even. You said your name was Daisy?" It was a dark ginger tom with bright green eyes that answered.

Daisy nodded, keeping her gaze on the ground. Best to agree with these cats, even though _she_ had never mentioned her name being Daisy. Someone else probably had. She murmured, "You really don't mind if I stay?"

"Not at all!" he boomed. "You may rest and recover for a day, and tomorrow we will begin your training. Cloudtail will be responsible for instructing you in the ways of the clan."

_Training? _Daisy thought in alarm. She had to go through _training!_ At least it was with Cloudtail. He seemed to be one of the only cats here that wholeheartedly supported her being in the group. _The clan, actually!_

She was finally part of a clan! Where she belonged. Where there was no Smoky, bossing her around. No Floss, trying to best her at every little thing. Where cats actually believed she could be an asset. Where she was finally appreciated.

**Whew! Longest chapter yet! 8 whole pages! Wow! And sorry if the writing gets sloppy near the end. It's nighttime, and I'm tired. Please REVIEW, just to tell me whatever you thought. Please? A single review can make my day. One more thing: Did you like more frequent, shorter chapters, or delayed, longer chapters? That will help me write in the future.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Wow… I'm thrilled! Four reviews, plus more faves and follows! I'm so so so happy right now! You guys rock!**

**Spottedeyes: Thanks! And that's what I thought when I got the idea for this!**

**Guest: Yeah, because they're the same thing in different POVs, most dialogue and some plot points had to stay the same. I hope you still liked it though!**

**Stuffed Watermelon: Don't you worry! Brightheart and Cloudtail belong together… most likely… :D**

**KatieK101: Yeah, I agree. Thanks for the review!**

Cloudtail's POV

Daisy was interesting, to say the least. Cloudtail had to give her that. When he entered the nursery, she was curled up against the wall, her three kits nothing more that miniscule balls of fluff with stubby tails.

Cloudtail walked up to her hesitantly, stopping when he was a tail-length away. "Erm… Hello," he meowed, uncertain of what he should say.

"Aren't I supposed to get a day of rest before training? Your leader- Firestar, was it? Said that I could have time to recover. He hasn't changed his mind, has he?"

Well, Daisy sure could talk. Cloudtail had said merely two words to her, and already she was hurling questions at him. "Um, yeah, I think. You are entitled to a day of relaxation before you have to contribute to the clan. But I thought you might like to have a tour of the camp, so you know your way around."

"Oh, of course. That's sensible. Mind if my kits come?" she asked.

_Kits?_ he thought. _She can show her kits around later. It's what queens usually do. But she's new, so if it's what she wants… _"Sure, why not? Are you ready to go now? The camp's pretty small, so I doubt it would tire you out too much."

"Yes, now is fine. Come on, kits. Wake up, we're going on a tour!" The three kits mewed in protest and shuffled closer to her. But Daisy raised herself to her paws, and the three kits opened their eyes, startled by the disappearance of their mother's warm pelt.

"Your kits are adorable. Do you have names for them yet?" Cloudtail asked, trying to be polite.

"Why, yes, actually. I named them just recently." She gestured to the cream-colored tom. "This one's Berry, and the she-cat's named Hazel. The other tom is Mouse."

"Those are nice names," Cloudtail meowed, inspecting each kit as Daisy named it. "Berry looks very strong, too, and Mouse and Hazel will clearly grow to be skilled and clever. Now, if you would give me a moment, I need to speak with Brightheart before the tour."

"Brightheart?" Daisy inquired, looking curious.

"My mate."

"I see."

At Daisy's response, Cloudtail awkwardly squeezed out of the den to find Brightheart. He spotted her sitting by the edge of the clearing, looking bored and glancing around at the cats going about their daily business. He approached her and gently touched her flank with his tail. Her expression became focused, and she leapt to her paws, her fur spiking. After a moment where Cloudtail was convinced she was going to attack him, the fire died from Brightheart's gaze and she visibly relaxed.

"Wha-? Oh, it's just you, Cloudtail. Great Starclan, you startled me! You know not to sneak up on me like that!"

Cloudtail did know. When Brightheart was just an apprentice, the side of her face had been shredded by a brutal dog pack, leaving her with only one working eye and ear. The former leader, Bluestar, had cruelly named her Lostface, in memory of the dog attack. Even now, when Firestar had become leader and renamed her Brightheart, she was still easily spooked, especially when a cat approached from her blind side.

"Sorry," Cloudtail meowed quickly. "I just wanted to tell you that I won't have any time to spend with you the next moon or so." At least, Cloudtail hoped it would only be a moon. Starclan knew he couldn't handle much more than that. "Firestar 'asked' me to take care of Daisy. More like demanded, really," he added, hoping to show Brightheart that he would much rather spend time with her than Daisy.

Brightheart nodded, a glimmer of sadness on her face. "Oh. That's alright, I guess. Just be sure to spend some time with me after the gathering."

The gathering was in about a half moon. By then, Cloudtail should have done most of the things he was assigned to with Daisy, and would probably have more than enough free time to spend with his family.

"I'm glad you're okay with it," Cloudtail purred, rubbing against Brightheart gratefully. "You know you mean more to me than the whole of Starclan, and I want you to be happy." He hoped that this would lessen the disappointment she surely felt that he couldn't spend more time with her.

It appeared to have worked. Brightheart twitched her whiskers happily, then nodded kindly at him before pulling away and padding to the fresh-kill pile. He purred one final time at his mate before returning to the nursery to fetch Daisy.

When he entered the nursery, Daisy had led her kits to the den entrance, and was sitting stiffly, waiting for him. "Ready to see the camp?" he asked. Daisy nodded, barely suppressing her eagerness, and used her tail to herd the kits closer to him.

He led the way out of the den, glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were following. First, he showed them the dirtplace, camp entrance, and fresh-kill pile (where Brightheart was watching them with a look of interest). Those were, in many cats' opinions, the three most important places in the camp for anyone to know.

Once Daisy had assured him that she would remember where those were, he brought her over to the warrior's den, where she would end up sleeping once her kits became apprentices. They were only a fraction of the way there when the smaller tom, Mouse, broke away from his mother and ran to the highledge, and attempted to climb it with his large, clumsy paws.

Cloudtail ordered Daisy to stay where she was and keep her other kits in check, then dashed over to the highledge, where Mouse was standing triumphantly on a flat ledge a few tail-lengths off the ground. Cloudtail bounded up to meet him with only minimal difficulty, and grabbed the gray kit's scruff, carrying him back to the safety of solid ground.

Mouse squirmed out of his grasp and ran back to Daisy, who looked both terrified and angry. "Mouse! You know better! What did I say about doing things like that? You could have fallen, and broken your neck, or you leg, or- Oh, just never do that again, you hear me?"

Mouse scuffled his paws in embarrassment and shame, nodding obediently at Daisy. Then Daisy turned to Cloudtail, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Cloudtail, for bringing him down before he could hurt himself!"

Cloudtail felt a rush of affection for the adventurous little kit. "Of course. Kits are a big part of our life here in the clan; the loss of any one, even a kit who hasn't officially been accepted into the clan, would be tragic."

Daisy nodded in agreement. Cloudtail twitched his whiskers and said, "Here I thought you could never stop talking. Are you always this shy after someone helps you?"

Daisy purred and dipped her head. "No, and thanks again. I guess I just don't have much to say. But that's okay. I see you enjoy a good conversation. I'll just follow along and nod when appropriate.

Cloudtail laughed, and then added, " We should continue with the tour. There's still the warrior's den to show you, and even after that, you should see the elder's, apprentice's, leader's, and most importantly, the medicine cat's den. That will be necessary if your kits get into any more -um- potentially threatening situations."

"I've no doubt they will," Daisy purred, gesturing for her kits to follow Cloudtail. When they reached the warrior's den, Daisy peeked in then drew her head out, gasping in awe. "There's so many cats! Will I ever sleep there?"

"Probably, but only once your kits are made into apprentices. That will happen when they're about six moons old," answered Cloudtail.

Daisy nodded, and catching Cloudtail's smirk, she quickly added, "Yes. And don't tease me for not talking much. I'm just tired, of course."

"Of course," he meowed smoothly. He then showed them the apprentice's den, where all three kits chattered excitedly about living there one day. They were all enchanted by the leader's den, where Daisy gazed up at it with an undisguised awestruck expression. The elder's den only fascinated the kits, but only when Cloudtail mentioned how much the elders _love_ to tell stories to all the young cats in the clan. Berry stuck his nose in the air in defiance when Cloudtail told him about the apprentice duties to bring the elders moss and prey, and check them for ticks whenever they were told.

By the time they finished, the sun was low in the sky, hues of orange and pink tinting the air. Cloudtail led Daisy back into the nursery, where she sunk gratefully into the ready moss. Her kits were quick to collapse, bundled into tufts of fur by her side.

Cloudtail left them to sleep, making his way over to the warrior's den, where he knew Brightheart would have saved him a nest. He got there quickly, stepped lightly over the warriors that had gone to sleep early, and found Brightheart curled up in the back of the den. Like he had predicted, a feather-lined nest lay next to her.

Brightheart was fidgeting in her sleep, muttering things that were too soft for Cloudtail to hear. He gently licked her flank, and she relaxed, easing into an easier, calmer sleep. He lay down next to her, making sure to keep a paw on her even as he began to drift off into a peaceful slumber. He hoped that tomorrow, he wouldn't be forced to spend all his time helping Daisy get used to things. But Cloudtail realized with a sudden jolt that yes, he certainly wished for much more time to spend with his lovely mate, but in a strange way, he had also enjoyed Daisy's company, as well as all three spirited kits: shy but curious Hazel, adventurous Mouse, and strong, smart Berry. _Those would make good clan names. I can picture Mousekit, Hazelkit, and Berrykit easily. I really hope they stay. They're useful additions to the clan_.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, even if all of his time were taken up for the next half moon or so. Less time with Brightheart, yes, but Daisy, Hazel, Berry, and Mouse weren't the worst company to keep…

**So! That was quick, huh? I just couldn't stop writing all day! Yay for me! The chapter was kind of short, though. IMPORTANT! READ THIS: I have two things to say. 1. There is a poll on my profile concerning whether I should start a new story. If you are reading this, please vote! 2. Should I keep alternating the POVS, going Cloudtail, Brightheart, Whitepaw, Daisy, repeat, or should I do them randomly, just doing whichever POV I feel like? Please tell me in a review!**


	7. Chapter 6

**This chapter was really annoying to write. I had like half of it done before I looked back and realized I hated it, so I had to start again from scratch… Also, after all the positive feedback from chapter 4, I was hoping to get at least **_**one**_** review… But I guess not… :(**

Brightheart's POV

The early morning sun streaking the den with white was what woke Brightheart. The sunlight scratched at her eyelids, begging her to wake up unreasonably early. When she finally submitted to the tantalizing light, it was still very early in the morning. The dawn patrol had left only recently. Brightheart was immensely grateful that she wasn't chosen for the dawn patrol. She had lead one the day before, then had an afternoon filled with a type of drama named Daisy. After all that, and even after a night's rest, Brightheart still felt like doing nothing but relaxing.

Affectionately noting the way Cloudtail's paw was rested protectively on her flank, Brightheart raised herself to her paws and stretched, feeling her stiff muscles loosen as she arched her back. Then, she delicately stepped over the multitude of softly sleeping warriors, heading outside into the fresh air.

Brightheart was grateful for the light chill in the air, for though it stung her pelt, she also felt so much more awake once she stepped outside. She chose a small vole from the shrinking fresh-kill pile, planning to hunt later in the day to make sure there would still be enough prey for the queens and kits.

She bit into the vole, but her eyes scanned the clearing for any other cats that were awake, but not on the dawn patrol. Nothing in her line of vision moved, or gave any indication that it was alive, so Brightheart focused her attention back on the piece of prey. _Only I'm crazy enough to actually be awake this early without cause._

A sudden rustling by the nursery caused Brightheart to glance up in alarm. "Who's there?" she called.

No one answered, but a small gray-and white dappled kit dashed out of the nursery. "Hey, I recognize you!" Brightheart realized. "Aren't you one of Daisy's kits? You should be back in the nursery with your mother."

"But mama's asleep. I wanna play, so I came out here."

Brightheart sighed. Starclan knew what she would have to do to get this kit back in the nursery, where it belonged. "Well, little kit, it's very early, so why don't you wait in the nursery for your littermates to wake up, so you can play then!"

"But I'm already awake! It will be _ages_ until they wake up! I wanna play now! Will you play with me?"

"Alright." Brightheart agreed reluctantly. "What do you want to play?" Maybe, if she could tire this kit out, it would want to go back to sleep.

"I wanna play… Dogs and Nofurs!" the kit squeaked eagerly.

"And how exactly do you play that? I can't play with you if I don't know the game."

"Oh, it's easy. Mama taught us to play it the moment we opened our eyes! One of us is the cat; the other is the dog or nofur. You can choose which one. If you wanna be the nofur, you stand up on your hind paws, like this!" The kit lifted her front paws off the ground, and wobbled around on her hind legs for a few heartbeats before falling back on to all fours. "If you wanna be the dog, you growl and run at the cat, like this!" The kit twisted her face into a gruesome snarl, and charged at Brightheart, leaping on top of the she-cat's shoulders.

"Then," the kit added. "If you're the cat, you wait to see what the other is. If they're a nofur, you climb up onto a tree, where the nofur can't follow. If they're a dog, you run around them and attack from behind. If you do the wrong thing, or do it too slowly, you lose. Once that happens, we switch places and do it again."

"Okay," Brightheart meowed slowly. "Which do you want to be?"

"Um… You can be the cat, I guess."

With that, the she-kit stepped forward menacingly. Before she got to Brightheart, she shakily stood up on her hind legs and waved her paws threateningly. Brightheart loped towards the nearest tree. It was a small birch, growing over the medicine den. She jumped up to the lowest branch, knowing that the others would crack under her weight.

Brightheart gazed down at the kit, who was now sitting at the base of the tree, staring up at her and purring in her soft kitten voice.

"You won!" the kit laughed.

"So I did. Anyway, little kit, before we play another round, you never told me your name."

The kit squeaked, "Mama calls me 'Hazel'."

Brightheart purred. It was a pretty name, and Hazel seemed nice enough. Brightheart certainly admired her spirit. "Well, Hazel, do you want to play another round?"

Hazel opened her mouth to answer, but a desperate cry interrupted her. "Hazel? Hazel, where are you? Hazel!"

Daisy peered around the camp until she saw Hazel, still sitting by the tree. "Hazel! There you are! Thank the stars. I woke up and you were gone! From now on, don't leave the nest without telling me, okay?"

Then Daisy's eyes widened as she spotted Brightheart for the first time. "Oh, hello. I'm Daisy, and you?"

Brightheart turned her head to answer, but before she could answer, Daisy gasped in horror. "Oh my! What happened to your face?"

Brightheart turned her head again, so that only her remaining eye faced Daisy. She hadn't realized that Daisy and the kits had no idea what had happened, and it probably came as a big shock. Feeling self-conscious, Brightheart answered, "A pack of dogs attacked. They tore out my eye. I'm sorry, that probably startled you. I was just heading inside anyway. Goodbye."

Brightheart quickly leapt down from the tree and raced back into the warrior's den. She didn't respond to Hazel's call of, "Wait! What about our game! Don't go now!" The sweet kit was simply too young to understand, or even notice the pain that came with Brightheart's disfiguration.

Brightheart reached her nest. Other cats were beginning to stir, as much of the morning had been taken up with Hazel, and it was now a reasonable time to wake. Cloudtail had sat up in his nest, and turned to face her, purring.

"Good morning," he meowed. "I woke up and you weren't there. I assumed you had gone on patrol or something."

"Nope. I was just…" Then she paused, strangely reluctant to tell the truth. "Going to the dirtplace."

Cloudtail nodded absently. "Well, I'd better go and prepare Daisy for today. It's her first day of training." With that, he brushed past Brightheart and padded out of the den.

_Daisy._ The name made her feel sick. The memory of Daisy's horrified, flinching face when Brightheart revealed her scars would stick with her forever.

Slowly, she shook herself out of a daze and followed him out of the den. At least Daisy would be training; if Brightheart simply avoided the training hollow for a few days, she would get used to the idea that some cats still looked away at the sight of her face. Until Daisy had arrived, cats were so used to it that they didn't react at all. Brightheart had almost forgotten that her face was something to be ashamed of. Her only consolation was that Hazel was too young to notice or care about her scars.

Still lost in thought, Brightheart numbly walked over to the fresh-kill pile, more out of habit than actual hunger. She had already had a vole, and that would last her until at least sunhigh.

Whitepaw was crouched next to Birchpaw, chewing thoughtfully on a lean squirrel. When Whitepaw noticed Brightheart approaching, she got to her paws and said, "Hello, mother! Do you want a bite?" She gestured to the half-eaten squirrel at her paws.

"No, thank you, Whitepaw," Brightheart answered. "I already ate. What plans do you have today?"

"Plans…" murmured Whitepaw. "Actually, I'm not quite sure. I'll ask Brackenfur. Maybe he wants to do battle training in the training hollow…"

Even the words "training hollow" sent an unpleasant jolt through Brightheart. Would _everything_ end up reminding her of Daisy's reaction to her face? Brightheart cursed herself for being so sensitive. Many cats had been horrified at the sight, but it had been so long that Brightheart had let down the defensive walls she used to keep up to ward off insults.

"Mother? Are you okay? Should I fetch Cinderpelt?" Whitepaw's concerned blue eyes swam in front of Brightheart's face.

"Y-Yes, Whitepaw. I'm okay. There is no need to get Cinderpelt. I'm just tired. I woke up very early today."

"If you're sure…" Whitepaw meowed hesitantly, then turned around to resume her previous conversation with Birchpaw, who looked startled by Brightheart's sudden interruption.

Brightheart sighed, and searched the clearing for Brambleclaw. She needed something to get her mind off the realization that there were still cats out there that could gasp at her face. She found him right where he always was: at the base of the highledge, assigning patrols.

"And Graystripe, you can go with Spiderleg to check the Windclan border. Be sure to set the scent markings strong; we don't want Windclan getting any ideas about crossing the border. Sandstorm, why don't you…"

As Brightheart neared, he looked up from the crowd of cats. "Yes, Brightheart, what can I do for you?"

"If you don't mind, Brambleclaw, I'd like to join a hunting patrol."

"Of course. Sandstorm is taking one right now. Why don't you join hers?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Sandstorm was waiting by the camp entrance, with Rainwhisker beside her. Sandstorm beckoned Brightheart closer, and when she got there, Sandstorm meowed, "We're going to hunt near twolegplace. We haven't checked for prey there in almost a moon, so it's bound to be crawling with prey."

"Good idea!" agreed Brightheart. It was as far away from the training hollow as possible, a fact that bode well with Brightheart. As the three cats left the camp, Brightheart tried to cast her mind as far away from Daisy as possible, the hunting patrol providing a temporary distraction from the drama that seemed to follow that Starclan-cursed kittypet, Daisy, wherever she went.

**I am dissatisfied with this chapter… But it's better than rough draft #1, so I thought I'd post it. What do you think? And yes, I know it's strange that Hazel knew her own name so quickly, but it seems like kits just instinctively know their name in the books. Finally, I just realized Graystripe should be deputy, not Brambleclaw, but I already made that mistake in former chapters, so I'm not changing it. Reviews are highly appreciated!**


	8. Chapter 7

**So… another chapter… Heh heh…Sorry for the wait. *****Hides guiltily from angry readers*******

**I had loads of homework and minimal free time. OHMYSTARCLAN OHMYSTARCLAN OHMYSTARCLAN! So many reviews! Thank you all so much!**

**BellaMonster: Thanks, both for the review and the advice. I'll probably mostly stick to the rotations, but occasionally I might skip one or something.**

**The Blue Winged Angel: Thanks! That's what I thought when I started this!**

**xxsnow: Thanks! Your review really flattered me!**

**TheJesusFreak777: Thank you so so so much for your kind reviews on ALL SEVEN CHAPTERS! You rock!**

**Forestclaw: Thank you very much!**

Whitepaw's POV:

_Some days are just so boring,_ thought Whitepaw tiredly as she blinked open her eyes after a night's sleep. Yesterday had been so surprisingly dramatic that Whitepaw had naturally expected to wake up to _something_ other than the typical sight of Birchpaw's tabby pelt against the den wall.

Sighing, she got to her paws and padded out of the den. She wasn't an early riser, seeing as Brackenfur nudged her awake every morning, complaining as to how he had the laziest apprentice in the clan. Even so, not many other cats were out yet. _The _one_ day Brackenfur gets up late is the day I get up early!_

The only cats she could see were Daisy and her she-kit, Brightheart, Brambleclaw, Spiderleg, Graystripe, Leafpool, and Cinderpelt. Leafpool, Cinderpelt, and Firestar were sitting in a group by the Cinderpelt's den, with their heads bent close together. _Probably just boring medicine cat stuff_, Whitepaw thought dismissively. Spiderleg and Brambleclaw were by the fresh-kill pile, fighting over a plump mouse. Whitepaw rolled her eyes and moved on to the others.

Graystripe was a little ways off, his gaze resting on Daisy, who was speaking sternly to her young kit. Brightheart was watching the exchange as well, her tail drooping. Whitepaw spared a moment to be concerned for her mother, then remember Brightheart's strange behavior yesterday. Whitepaw still had to get the truth out of Brightheart, because she knew that _something_ was affecting her mother's cheerful demeanor. But she directed her attention away momentarily and headed over to the fresh-kill pile.

It wasn't very big, with only two mice, a squirrel, and a skinny rabbit contributing to it. Whitepaw's mouth watered at the sight of the rabbit, but she knew that it was too large for her to have it herself when the prey was so limited. _But it looked so delicious…_

Suddenly struck with an idea, Whitepaw darted back into the apprentice's den and stood over Birchpaw's sleeping form. "Birchpaw! Wake up!" she called. Birchpaw stirred slightly, but after a moment he curled back up into a deep sleep. "Birchpaw!" She made her voice louder this time. Still no response. Whitepaw's fur fluffed out in glee. _Time for plan B_. "Birchpaw," she sang in a sickly sweet voice. "Your mother told me to tell you that if you didn't wake up _this instant_, she would announce your crush on Squirrelflight to the entire clan!"

Birchpaw sat up instantly, confusion shining in his eyes. "But I _don't_ have a crush on Squirrelflight…"

Whitepaw shrugged and twitched her whiskers. "And why should your mother care? But don't worry. Ferncloud isn't going to embarrass you in front of all the clan- today, at least. I just wanted to know if you were hungry. There's a good-looking rabbit on the fresh-kill pile, but it's too big for one cat. Want to share?"

Birchpaw blinked slowly. "So you mean Ferncloud _isn't_ going to make some stupid remark about my nonexistent love-life if I'm not in the clearing in a heartbeat? Then sure! I love rabbit!"

Whitepaw led Birchpaw outside and trudged over to the pile. But when she got there, a gaping hole filled the spot where the rabbit had been, making the fresh-kill pile seem even more pitiful. "Hey!" Whitepaw exclaimed indignantly. "Where is it? The rabbit was just here!"

Birchpaw nudged her. "Look over there," he told her. Whitepaw turned and saw Longtail dragging it in the direction of the elder's den, where Mousefur waited impatiently, her wiry brown pelt bristling.

Whitepaw sighed sadly. She was hungry, and that rabbit looked _so good…_ Birchpaw, seeing Whitepaw's downcast look, hurried to meow, "It's alright. There's other fresh-kill. That squirrel looks nice, and it's smaller, so we won't get in trouble for taking too much to eat."

Whitepaw wrinkled her nose at the skinny squirrel. "Yes, but it's just _so_ small… Will there be enough?"

"If you're still hungry later, we can ask our mentors to take us hunting. Now let's eat! I'm just as starving as you are!"

Whitepaw nodded and purred gratefully at Birchpaw as he hauled the squirrel off the fresh-kill pile and deposited it in front of Whitepaw. She lowered her head and took a bite, then stepped back slightly to give Birchpaw room.

They ate together for a while, alternating bites, until Whitepaw heard the sound of pawsteps. She got to her paws and turned around to see Brightheart, looking lost as she padded over to them. "Hello, mother!" she exclaimed, forcing herself to be cheerful despite the growing worry for her mother in the pit of her stomach. "Do you want a bit?"

"No, thank you, Whitepaw. I already ate," Brightheart replied absently. Then she focused on Whitepaw and her gaze sharpened in interest. "What plans do you have today?"

"Plans…" What plans _did_ she have today? She vaguely remembered Brackenfur mentioning something about battle training, but he wasn't even awake yet, so Whitepaw wasn't sure if that would be happening. "Actually, I'm not quite sure. I'll ask Brackenfur. Maybe he wants to do battle training in the training hollow…"

At her response, Brightheart stiffened and gazed ahead, a snarl on her face. Her single eye was wide with horror, and her jaws gaped and claws unsheathed as though facing a thousand enemies. She flattened her ears and growled menacingly.

Whitepaw took a step back, alarmed. "Mother? Are you okay? Should I fetch Cinderpelt?" she questioned. Brightheart started, focusing back on her daughter.

"Y-Yes, Whitepaw. I'm okay," she stammered. "There is no need to get Cinderpelt. I'm just tired. I woke up very early today."

Whitepaw didn't believe her mother for a heartbeat. _If you're fine, like you say, why would you react so strongly something I said? I just mentioned the training hollow, and you freaked out on me! _But instead of voicing her thoughts, Whitepaw only meowed, "If you're sure…"

Brightheart nodded a little too quickly and padded away. Whitepaw watched her mother's retreating figure for a moment, and then faced Birchpaw. In hushed tones, she explained the situation with her mother. "I don't know what's gotten in to her! She began acting odd, I don't know, about when Daisy arrived… She gets spooked too easily and she seems really upset all of the time, and she-"

Whitepaw continued her frantic explanation, her panic growing with each word she spoke. She was so worked up that she hardly noticed Birchpaw's reassuring gaze on her, or his comforting tail draped across her shoulders. Her words came faster and faster, blending together into an indecipherable slur of sounds.

"Whoa! Calm down!" Birchpaw meowed when Whitepaw paused, panting for breath. "I'm sure it's not _that _bad. Here, how about you relax and finish the squirrel. I'll help you figure out why Brightheart's acting weird, but in the meantime, it'll do you no help to make yourself sick."

"You're right. I'm sorry," she agreed, after gulping down a large bite of prey. "But still, we _do_ need to do something about Brightheart. You're in, right?"

"Of course!"

"So… What can I do? I could approach her soon, and demand to know what's going on. That might work."

Birchpaw shook his head quickly. "No, I don't think so. You said she gets easily spooked, right? You could just end up frightening her off, and then we'll _never_ know what's going on."

_This will be harder than I thought._ Whitepaw's ears flattened sadly.

**Okay… So… It's been what, a month? Oops… I had a major case of writing block, and this chapter was insanely hard to write. It's so frustrating that cats can't smile… Please forgive me, and thanks for sticking with this. Your reviews really motivated me to update! The next chapter will be up soon, I promise! And it will be longer. Really!**


End file.
